Convertible gravity butt and strap hinge



Aug. 3, 1954 w. G. FORKEY 2,685,103

CONVERTIBLE GRAVITY BUTT AND STRAP HINGE Filed Sept. 20, 1951 v inm 3 Sheets-Sheet l 10 I l I 'IIIIIII IN VEN TOR.

ATTIJ R N EYE g- 3, 1954 w. G. FORKEY 2,685,103

CONVERTIBLE GRAVITY BUTT AND STRAP HINGE Filed Sept. 20, 1951 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 16 If J6 Zflz'ZZaraffi. o J2 ATTD RNEYS g- 3, 1954 'w. G. FORKEY 2,685,103

CONVERTIBLE GRAVITY BUTT AND STRAP HINGE Filed Sept. 20, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. f Q'ZZczr-a 767-5193. Ti) 43 man' ATTD RN EYS Patented Aug. 3, 1954 CONVERTIBLE GRAVITY BUTT AND STRAP HINGE Willard G.

Forkey, Augusta, Ga;

Margaret Forkey, sole heirof said Willard G. Forkey, de-

ceased Application September 20, 1951, Serial No. 247,423

5 Claims.

This invention relates to butt and strap hinges to right hand.

This invention is gravity swinging door hing of my co-pending of the hinge plates and the cam is formed so that it is only necessary to shift the position thereof in order to convert the hinge from one hand to another.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to

a left hand hinge or from a left hand to a right hand hinge.

Another object of the invention is to provide a convertible gravity hinge that is readily mounted on doors and jambs and that is readily assembled and taken apart.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved convertible gravity swinging butt or strap hinge in which the parts are contained in a comparatively small hub so that the hinge has a neat and pleasing appearance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a convertible gravity swinging butt or strap hinge which is of a simple and economical-construction. and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a butt or strap 2 hinge "comprising a hinge plate with hubs on the ends, a complementary plate having a hub inon :the upper and lower ends of the surfaces on both the plate is carried.

Other features and advantages of the invention 'will appear from the follow-ing description taken in connection with 1 tion to illustrate the position therein.

Figure 2 is a view similar to that shown in Figur 1 illustrating the position of 'the parts with the hinge inverted, showing a left hand strap hinge.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of a door upon which 'the h inge is mounted with associated parts of a wall and 'fl'oor :shown in section and illustrating the door in the open position wherein the :door is elevated to cle'ar a rug or the like on the floor.

Figure 4 is a cross section through one of the hubs of the strap hinge, taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1 and showing one of the .hinge mounting ends.

Figure 5 is an exploded view showing the parts of the strap hing separated and illustrating the parts with the door in the position as shown in Figure 1.

Figure '6 is a vertical section taken on line 13-5 of igure 1 showing the shape of the cam surfaces and showing the position of the threaded openings in the traveling cam.

Figure is a detail view illustrating the traveling cam.

Figure B is a =Gl'eta'il view showing one of the sleeves having cam surfaces on the ends and positioned in the ends of the hinge.

Figure 9 is a sectional plan through the strap hinge taken on line 29-19 of Figure 1.

Figure 1'0 is a :section taken on line J ll-H3 of Figure 5, showing the pintle with one :of the sleeves thereon.

Figure 11 is -a vertical section taken on line 11-41 of Figure 9 showing Ethe threaded openings in the hub of the hinge plate having the intermediate hub and showing set screws in the openings for retaining the traveling cam in position in the hinge.

Figure 12 is a front elevational view of the strap hinge with the parts as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 13 is a similar view showing the butt hing with the hinge plates together behind the hubs of the hinge.

Figure 14 is also an elevational view of the hinge illustrating a butt hinge and in which the door has been turned to an angle of 180 degrees.

Figure 15 is a plan view showing the parts of a butt hinge.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, the improved gravity swinging strap hinge of this invention includes a hinge plate It having hubs H and 12 on the ends thereof, a hinge plate l3 having a hub 14 positioned intermediate of the ends, sleeves l and [6 having cam surfaces H and 18 on the ends thereof, respectively, a pintle l9 and a traveling cam 20 having cam surfaces 2i and 22 on the ends.

The hinge plate is provided with openings 23 for countersunk head screws and the hubs H and 12 at the ends of the plate are provided with openings 24 and 25, respectively, for pins 25, as shown in Figure 4. The pins 26 extend through openings 21 in the sleeves l5 and H3 and also through openings 28 in the'pintle 19. By this means the pintle and also the sleeves having the cam surfaces on the inner ends are held stationary in the hubs of the hinge plate 10.

The hub 14 of the hinge plate I3 is provided with threaded openings 29, 30, 3| and 32 similar to the openings 29, 30, 3| and 32 of the butt hinge shown in Figure 14 and the traveling cam is provided with openings or recesses and 34. The recesses 33 and 34 are positioned to register with the openings 29 and 3B, or with the openings 3| and 32 whereby the cam 28 is adapted to be positioned in the lower part of the hub 14, as shown in Figure 11 wherein screws 35 and 36, threaded in the openings 3! and 32 and engaging openings 33 and 34, retain the cam in position with the cam coacting with the cam surfacce IS on the sleeve 16, so that the door will swing in one direction.

With the cam held by screws 35 and 36 in the openings 3! and 32 in the lower part of the hub M the cam is retained in the lower position in which it coacts with the cam surface 18 of the sleeve 15 and when the door is released it will swing by gravity to the closed position.

When it is desired to use the hinge on the opposite side of the door such as in changing the hinge from right hand to left hand the screws 35 and 36 are removed and placed in the upper openings 29 and 30 whereby the cam 20 may be secured in the opposite end of the hub 14 so that the cam surface 2! will coact with the cam surface ll of the sleeve 15 whereby the door will swing to the closed position with the door hinged on the opposite side of the frame or jamb.

The hinge plate 13 is also provided with openings as indicated by the numeral 31, for countersunk screws.

With the parts formed in this manner a strap type of hinge with the parts as illustrated in Figure 1 provides a right hand hinge whereas with the parts inverted as shown in Figure 2 a left hand hinge is provided.

A door, as indicated by the numeral 38, and shown in Figure 3, having strap or butt type hinges may be mounted to swing to an angle of degrees or to an angle of degrees and with the hinge parts positioned as shown the door will swing back to the closed position by gravity when released.

The butt type of binge as illustrated in Figures 13 and 14 is similar to the hinge illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 5 except that the hinge plates are formed as illustrated in Figure 15 whereby they extend around to the meeting edges 40 and 4! of a door and jamb.

In the butt type of binge the hinge plate 42, which is similar to the plate H1, is provided with upper and lower hubs 43 and 44 and the hinge plate 45, which is similar to the plate 13 is provided with an intermediate hub 46 in which the cam is positioned. In this hinge a pintle 41 with cam sleeves 48, similar to the sleeves l5 and I8 is positioned in the hubs and the pintle is secured in the hubs 43 and 44 by pins 49. The parts of the butt hinge operate similar to the cam and cam surfaces of the strap hinge.

It will be understood that modifications may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the inven- What is claimed is:

l. A gravity closing hinge comprising a first hinge plate having aligned hinge hubs on the ends, a second hinge plate having a hinge hub positioned intermediate of the ends and between the hinge hubs of the first hinge plate, a pintle, sleeves having cam surfaces on one of the ends thereof mounted on said pintle so that the cam surfaces are positioned inwardly of the ends of the pintle and the sleeves are positioned in the hinge hubs at the ends of the first hinge plate, a traveling cam having cam surfaces on both ends on the pintle and positioned between said sleeves so that the cam surfaces on the travelling cam will be in position to engage the cam surfaces on the sleeves, said traveling cam positioned in the hinge hub located intermediate of the ends of the second hinge plate, and means for selectively securing the cam in the ends of the hinge hub of said second hange plate, with said cam surfaces having a predetermined configuration whereby with the traveling cam in either end of the hinge hub of the second hinge plate, an operable hinge is provided.

2. A gravity closing hinge as described in claim 1, wherein the cam surfaces have a predetermined configuration whereby a door carried by the hinge is actuated by gravity to swing to the closed position when released.

3. A gravity closing hinge as described in claim 1, wherein the pintle and sleeves are secured in the hinge hubs positioned at the ends of the first hinge plate by pins extended through the hubs, sleeves, and pintle.

4. A gravity closing hinge as described in claim 1, wherein the traveling cam is secured in the hinge hub positioned intermediate of the ends of the second hinge plate by a pair of set screws positioned in threaded openings in the hinge hub and the hinge hub is provided with a corresponding pair of threaded openings in the opposite end.

5. In a gravity swinging door hinge, a first plate having hinge hubs on the ends and a second plate having a hinge hub positioned intermediate of the ends, a pintle, sleeves on the ends of the pintle anchored in a respective hinge hub positioned at the ends of the first plate and extended at their inner ends into the hinge hub positioned intermediate of the ends of the second plate, said sleeves having cam surfaces on the ends extended References Cited in the file of this patent into the hub positioned intermediate of the ends UNITED STATES PATENTS of the second plate, a traveling cam posltloned 1n the hub of the second hinge plate and extended Number Name D around the pintle, said cam having cam surfaces 5 8681173 Erler Oct 151 1907 on the ends, and means retaining the cam, se1ec- 8791542 Hartman 1903 'tively, in the ends of the hub of the second hinge 881308 Donaldson 101 1908 plate whereby with the cam in either end of the FOREIGN PATENTS hub the cam surface thereon coacts with either cam surface of either of said sleeves. 10 Number Country Date 289,125 Italy Oct. 6, 1930 

